Report: U.S. ranks 28th in internet connection speed

By eSchool News

August 26th, 2009

According to a report from the Communications Workers of America, the United States ranks 28th in the world in average internet connection speed and is not making significant progress in building a faster network, AFP reports. The report, released Aug. 25, said the average download speed in South Korea is 20.4 megabits per second–four times faster than the US average of 5.1 Mbps. Japan trails South Korea with an average of 15.8 Mbps, followed by Sweden at 12.8 Mbps and the Netherlands at 11.0 Mbps, the report said. It said tests conducted by speedmatters.org found the average U.S. download speed had improved by only nine-tenths of a megabit per second between 2008 and 2009. "The U.S. has not made significant improvement in the speeds at which residents connect to the internet," the report said. "Our nation continues to fall far behind other countries." The United States was ranked 20th in broadband penetration in a survey of 58 countries released earlier this year by Boston-based Strategy Analytics. U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged to put broadband in every home, and the FCC has embarked on an ambitious project to bring high-speed internet access to every corner of the United States. According to the CWA report, the fastest download speeds in the United States are in the northeastern parts of the country, while the slowest are in states such as Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming…